Article of repose for supporting the body of a person



June 25, 1957 J. LUCKHARDT 2,796,917

ARTICLE OF REFUSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Sept. 15. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 I N V EN TOR. I (imqh/Meas lace/r4207 %rroleA E/ June 25, 1957 J. LUCKHARDT 2,796,917

ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Fil ed Sept. 15. 1954 I 5 She'ets-Sneet 2 IN VEN TOR. d/Mwn/ss zwzmzeor June 25, 1957 J. LUCKHARDT 2,795,917

ARTICLE OF REFUSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Sept. 15. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet s Arrgen/E/ June 25, 1957 J. LUCKHARDT 2,796,917

ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Sept. 15, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VEN TOR. Ja/mwA/Es A meA 4 r June 25, 1957 J. LUCKHARDT ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Sept. 15. 1954 5 Sheats-Sneet 5 L J m R F IN VEN TOR. Ja'x/mwss Juan #4207 ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Johannes Lnckhardt, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany; Wassili J. F. Lnckhardt, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany, sole heir of said Johannes Luckhardt, deceased, assignor to Norman P. Martin and Otto L. Walker, Lake Worth, Fla., as trustees of Iota Trust Application September 15, 1954, Serial No. 456,269

14 Claims. ((31. 155-116) This invention relates to articles of furniture and more particularly to articles of repose for supporting the body of a person, wherein the movements of a movable seat and a movable back-rest are coordinated with each other.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of repose of above-described type with a mechanism for coordinating the movements of the back-rest and'the seat with each other, which may be readily manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seat for motor vehicles, wherein the seat member and the back-rest member may be brought into reclined positions.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a seat for a motor vehicle,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the motor vehicle seat shown in Fig. 1, wherein, however, the back-rest. and the seat member are in a reclined position,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a different embodiment of a seat for a motor vehicle,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the motor vehicle seat shown in Fig. 3, wherein however the back-rest and the seat member are in a reclined position,

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of a motor vehicle seat,

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the seat shown in Fig. 5 with the back-rest and the seat member in reclined positions,

Fig. 7 is aside elevational view of a further embodiment of a motor vehicle seat,

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the seat shown in Fig. 7 with the back-rest and the seat member in reclined positions,

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a motor vehicle seat,

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the seat shown in Fig. 9, wherein, however, the movable parts of the seat are in the reclined position, and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rear end portion of another embodiment of a reclining seat for motor vehicles which is equipped with locking means for holding the movable parts of the seat in any desired position.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 generally indicates the support of aseat for a motor vehicle. The support or base 10 may be attached to the floor of the motor vehicle. 12 generally indicates a seat member which comprises a frame Hand :1 seat 16 inserted therein.

On each side of the chair a plate 18 is swingably mounted on the support 10 at 20. Said plate 18 is pivoted to the seat member 12 at 22. Furthermore, on each side of the chair the lower rear end portion of the seat member 12 is pivoted at 24 to one end of a guiding link 26, the other end of which is pivoted to the support 10 at 28.

The roller 30 is rotatably mounted on the plate 18 at 32.

of another embodiment 2,796,917 Patented June 25, 1957 On each side of the article a bar 34 rigidly connected with the structure of a back-rest 36 is swingably mounted on the plate 18 at 38. The, pivotal connection 38 between the back-rest 36 and the plate 18 is spaced from the pivotal connection 22 of the seat member 12 with said plate 18.

A headrest generally indicated by 4ticomprises a center portion 42 and two rods 44 (only one being shown) projecting laterally and downwardly from the center portion 42'. Each of the rods 44 is slidably engaged with a sleeve 46 mounted on the back-rest 36. The sitting position of the members of the article is shown in full lines in Fig. 1. In said sitting position the bar 34 of the backrest 36 is in abutting engagement with the roller 30. When a person resting on the seat leans the weight of his body against the back-rest 36, the latter, abutting against the roller 30, causes a swinging movement of the plate 18 about the pivot 20, so that the back-rest 36 reaches the reclined position shown in'Fig. 2. At'the same time the seat member 12 is brought into the reclined position shown in Fig. 2, the guiding plate 18' and the guiding link 26 controlling the movement of saidseat member 12. When the back-rest 36 is in the reclined position shown in Fig. 2, the user of the seat may bring the head-rest 40 into the propelled position by pushing the rods 44 by hand.

When the members of the seat are in the sitting position shown in'full lines in Fig. 1 and a person wishes to enter a car for occupying a rear seat, the back-rest 36 may be swung about its pivot 38 into the position 36' shown in dash and dot lines.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4, an upper guiding link 118 and a lower guiding link 126 are pivoted to the support 116 at and 128 respectively. The guiding link 118 is pivoted to the upper rear end portion of the seat member 112 at 122. The lower guiding link 126 is pivoted to the lower rear end portion of the seat 112 at 124. The upper guiding link 118 carries a roller 130.

The back-rest 136 is swingably mounted'on the upper guiding link 118 at 122 in coaxial alignment with the pivotal connection between said upper guiding link 118 and the seat member 112. The back-rest 136 carries the manually displaceable head-rest 140. The bar 134 of the back-rest 136 is in abutting engagement with the roller when the back-rest is in the sitting position shown in Fig. 3. a

When the back-rest'136 is urged rearwardly into the reclined position shown in Fig. 4, the seat member 112 follows into the reclined position shown in said Fig. 4. On the other hand it will be readily understood, that the back-rest 136 may be swung forwardly about its pivot 122 if a person wishes to enter the car.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 again the rear end portion of the seat member 212 is pivotally connected at 222 and 224 respectively with one end of an upper guiding link 218 and a lower guiding link 226 respectively. The other ends of said guiding links 218 and 226 are swingably mounted on the support 210 at 220 and 228 respectively. The upper guiding link 218 carries the roller 230.

The bar 234 of the back-rest 236 is pivoted at 248 to the upper rear end portion of the seat 212 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 222 between the upper guiding link 218 and the seat member 212. The bar 234 abuts against the roller 230 when the movable members of the seat are in the sitting position shown in Fig. 5 and remains in abutting engagement with said roller 230 during a movement of the back-rest 236 from the sitting position shown in Fig. 5 into the reclined position shown in Fig. 6. During such a displacement of the back-rest 236 from the sitting position shown in Fig. 5

a a) into the reclined position shown in Fig. 6, the seat member 212 is brought into the reclined position shown in Fig. 6 by means of the guiding links 218 and 226 swinging about their pivots 220 and 228.

If desired, the back-rest 236 may be swung forwardly about its pivot 248 for facilitating the entering of a car. According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the upper guiding link 318 and the lower guiding link 326 are pivoted to the support 310 at 320 and 328 respectively. The upper guiding link 318 is pivoted to the upper rear end portion of the seat member 312 at 322. The upper guiding link 318 has an extension 319 projecting rearwardly beyond the pivotal connection 320 between said upper guiding link 318 and the support 310.

The lower guiding link 326 is pivoted .to the lower rear end portion of the seat 312 at 324.

The back-rest 336 is swingably mounted on the extension 319 of the upper guiding link 318 at 323; An abutment 331 is rigidlyconnected with the lower end of the back-rest 336 by screws or the like. Said abutment 331 is arranged for abutting cooperation with the extension 319 of the upper guiding link 318.

A head-rest 340 is slidably mounted on the back-rest 336. Said head-rest 340 may be manually shifted into difierent positions relative to the back-rest 336. I

If a person wishes to enter a two-door car for occupying a rear seat, the back-rest 336 may be swung forwardly about the pivot 323. During this forward movement of I the back-rest 336 the abutment 331 is disengaged from the extension 319 of the upper guiding link 318.

When the back-rest 336 is urged rearwardlyinto the reclined position shown in Fig. 8, the abutment 331 being in abutting engagement with the lower surface of the extension 319 of the upper guiding link 318 causes a swinging movement of the upper guiding link 318 about its pivot 320, so that the seat 312 and back-rest 336 may reach the reclined position shown in Fig. 8.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the support 410 comprises a base 411 and a bent iron 413 (only one being shown) on each side of the seat. The bent irons 413 are secured to the base 411 in any suitable manner. The base 411 may be attached to the floor of the motor vehicle.

412 generally indicates the seat member of thereclining seat which comprises a metallic frame 415 carrying the seat part 417.'

On each side of the seat the rear portion of the frame.

to one end of a lower guiding member or guiding link' 426 at 424. The pivotal connections 422 and 424 are spaced from each other. The upper guiding link 418 is pivoted to the support 410 at 420 and the lower guiding link 426 is pivoted to the support 410 at 428. The upper guiding link 418 has an extension 419 projecting its pivotal connection 420 with the support 410.

A back-rest 436 is rigidly connected on each side of the seat with the extension 419 of the upper guiding link 418.

440 generally indicates a head-rest comprising a center portion 442 and a pair of rods 444 (only one rod being shown) extending laterally and downwardly from the center portion 442. The back-rest 436 includes a sleeve 447 or the like on each of its sides. The rods 444 of the head-rest 440 are slidably arranged in said sleeves 447.

When a person resting on the seat leans the weight of his body against the back-rest 436, the latter will be moved backwardly and during this backward movement of the back-rest 436 the upper guiding link 418 swings about the pivot 420 whereby the seat member 412 is lifted. The movement of the seat member 412 is controlled by the pair of guiding links 418 and 426, so that the seat member 412 reaches the extreme reclined posibeyond 4 tion shown in Fig. 10 when the back-rest 436 reaches the extreme reclined position, likewise shown in Fig. 10.

The extreme reclined position of the seat member 412 and back-rest 436 is limited by a stop 450 arranged on the support 410 for abutting engagement with the lower guiding link 426.

The sitting position of the seat member 412 and backrest 436, shown in Fig. 9, is limitedby'an abutment of the frame 415 of the seat member 412 against the base 411.

When the back-rest 436 is in a reclined position, for example the position shown in Fig. 10, the head-rest 440 may be manually brought into the propelled position shown in Fig. 10 by a displacement of the rods 444 relative to the sleeves 447; '1

Fig. 11 illustrates a locking'mechanism which may be used in connection with a reclining seat shown in Figs. 9 and 10. In this event the upper guiding link 418 at one side of the reclining seat. shown in Fig. 9, is replaced by a plate 452 shown in Fig. 11. Said plate 452 being swingably mounted on the support 410 at 420 is pivoted to the frame 415 of'the seat member 412 at 422. The back-rest 436 is rigidly connected with the extensions 419 of the plate 452 by screws. The lower guiding link 426 is pivoted to the frame 415 at 424 and to the support 410 at 428.

A locking pawl 454 swingably mounted on the guiding plate 452 at 456 is connected with one end of a operating engagement with a toothed member 460 rigidly connected with the support 410. The spring 458 tends to urge the locking pawl 454 into engagement withteeth of the toothed member 460 so as to hold the movable members of the reclining seat in a predetermined position. When it is desired to displace the seat member 412 and back-rest 436, the locking pawl 454 is pushed downwardly around its pivot 456 against the action of the spring 458, whereby the teeth of the locking pawl 454 are brought out of engagement with the teeth of the staionary member 460. When the seat member 412 and back-rest 436 are brought into the new position, the locking pawl 454 is released, so that the spring 458 swings the locking pawl 454 about its pivot 456 into a position for engage ment with teeth of the toothed member 460.

I have described preferred embodiments of my inven tion, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example each of the embodiments shown in the drawings may be equipped with means for limiting the sitting and extreme reclined positions.

Furthermore a locking device, for example of the type shown in Fig. 11, or of any other type, may be arranged in each of the embodiments for holding the movable members of the article in a desired position.

What I claim is:

1. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support, a seat, a first guiding member pivoted at diiferent regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portionof said seat, a second guiding member pivoted at different regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat at points spaced from and below the pivotal connections of said first guiding member with said support and said seat whereby a four-bar link-system is formed, said four bar link-system including the portion of the support between its pivotal connections with said guiding members as the stationary link and including further said guiding members and said seat as the movable links, and a backrest, said back-rest being in operative engagement with one of said guiding members so as to eifect a swinging movement of the latter in coordination with its movement.

2. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 1, said back-rest being operatively engaged with said first guiding member.

3. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support, a seat, a first guiding member pivoted at ditferent regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat, a second guiding member pivoted at different regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat at points spaced from and below the pivotal connections of said first guiding member with said support and said seat whereby a four-bar link-system is formed, said four-bar link-system including the portion of the support between its pivotal connections with said guiding members as the stationary link and including further said guiding members and said seat as the movable links, a back-rest swingable relative to said first guiding member, and disengageable cooperating abutting means arranged on saidback-rest and said first guiding member.

4. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support, a seat, a first guiding member pivoted at different regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat, a second guiding member pivoted at different regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat at points spaced from and below the pivotal connections of said first guiding member with said support and said seat whereby a four-bar link-system is formed, said four-bar link-system including the portion of the support between its pivotal connections with said guiding members as the stationary link and including further said guiding members and said seat as the movable links, a back-rest swingably mounted on said first guiding member, and disengageable cooperating abutting means arranged on said back-rest and said first guiding member.

5. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 4, said abutting means including a roller mounted on said first guiding member and an abutting surface arranged on said back-rest.

6. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 4, said back-rest being swingably mounted on said first guiding member at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of said first guiding member with the seat.

7. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 4, said back-rest being swingably mounted on said first guiding member at a point spaced from and rearward of the pivotal connection of said first guiding member with the seat.

8. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 4, said first guiding member including an extension projecting beyond the pivotal connection of said first guiding member with the support, and said back-rest being swingably mounted on said extension of the first guiding member.

9. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 4, said back-rest being swingably mounted on said first guiding member in coaxial alignment with the pivotal connection between said first guiding member and said seat.

10. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support, a seat, a first guiding member pivoted at difierent regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat, a second guiding member pivoted at diflerent regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat at points spaced from and below the pivotal connections of said first guiding member with said support and said seat whereby a four-bar link-system is formed, said four-bar link-system including the portion of the support between its pivotal connections with said guiding members as the stationary link and including further said guiding members and said seat as the movable links, a back-rest swingably mounted on said seat, and disengageable cooperating abutting means arranged on said back-rest and said first guiding member.

11. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 10, said abutting means including a roller mounted on said first guiding member and an abutting surface arranged on said back-rest.

12. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 10, said back-rest being swingably mounted on said seat at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of said first guiding member with said seat.

13. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person, comprising: a support, a seat, a first guiding member pivoted at different regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat, a second guiding member pivoted at ditferent regions thereof to said support and to the rear end portion of said seat at points spaced from and below the pivotal connections of said first guiding member with said support and said seat whereby a four-bar link-system is formed, said four-bar link-system including the portion of the support between its pivotal connections with said guiding members as the stationary link and including further said guiding members and said seat as the movable links, and a back-rest, said back-rest being rigid with one of said guiding members.

14. In an article of repose as claimed in claim 13, the pivotal connections of said first guiding member being above the pivotal connections of said second guiding member, and said back-rest being rigid with said first guiding member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,128 Wilmot et a1 Sept. 12, 1905 2,612,211 Gielow et a1 Sept. 30, 1952 2,650,644 Malco Sept. 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 385,157 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,796,917 June 25, 1957 Johannes Luckhardt It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 3 to 5, for "assignor to Norman P. Martin and Otto L. Walker, of Lake Worth, Florida, as trustees of Iota Trust," read assignor to Norman P. Martin and Otto L. Walter, of Lake Worth, Florida, as trustees of Iota Trust,; lines 14 and 15, for "Norman P. Martin and Otto L. Walker, as trustees of Iota Trust, their successors or assigns read Norman P. Martin and Otto L. Walter, as trustees of Iota Trust, their successors or assigns in the heading to the printed specification, lines 6 to 8, for "assignor to Norman P. Martin and Otto L. Walker, Lake Worth, Fla. as trustees of Iato Trust" read assignor to Norman P. Martin and Otto L. Walter, Lake Worth, Fla, as trustees of Iota Trust Signed and sealed this lst day of October 1957.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AJQLINE A ROBERT C. WATSON ttesting Officer Conmissioner of Patents 

